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the lucid disparity
"Never be the first to arrive or the last to go, and never, ever be both."
After several weeks of moving through the Luminous Sea, the Moira has nearly reached the edge of this illustrious place within the Runoff, and things are finally beginning to shift back into their normal state of being. Shiplife has returned to a somewhat regular pace as job changes have taken effect, and there is a peaceful sort of silence throughout the crew that hasn’t existed on board in over a month. However, as most things do on this journey, this much needed break does not last long.
Once the Moira exits the outer ring of the Luminous Sea, all internal functions immediately begin to shut down. Permanently. Unlike before, this loss of power careens the entire ship forward and initiates emergency functions and evacuation procedures. All MIDs alert each crewmember of safety protocols to follow with an alarm, designating appropriate evacuation points as well as the nearest spacesuits as per the Emergency Mode function. Basic life support systems (artificial gravity, oxygen, etc.) will last only as long as the backup stores of solar energy from the wings lasts—which, considering the Moira’s size, is about two hours maximum. Communications within the ship are fractured, but they still work enough for brief contact. Captain Ira sends a brief message to the crew alerting them of what he suspects to be the cause of the problem: the Moira’s internal core has begun an unintended reboot. (Anyone in contact with Navigator Manasseh will find her unresponsive, and if found on the Directory, her status will be listed as RED.) Unfortunately, neither the Captain, prior Captains, or First Mate have time to attempt any further explanation. Without any guidance and essentially free-falling through space, the Moira is at the mercy of the gravitational pull of the nearest celestial body. It appears that it is time to temporarily abandon ship.
WELCOME TO ? ? ? ? ?
With enough impact to shake everything around it, the Moira crashes into the waters of this unknown place. Those lucky enough to have reached the EEUs will find their landing to be somewhat more gentle, though the dispersion of the Emergency Escape Units may leave some crew scattered farther from the ship than others. Yet, regardless of where anyone lands in this seemingly endless ocean, there is only one place to navigate towards: a single island. The sun is warm on this planet, almost tropical, and the air is breathable. There is no detection of life just on the shore of this island, which is where Captain Ira and First Mate Egan direct any and all crew within range. Staying on the Moira, at this point, is not a possibility, but those within jobs of repair will be asked to assist in restoring all necessary functions as they wait for its systems to reboot themselves. Those in cryo in the Medbay are moved to the beach, where Captain Thán will remain with them as the rest of the crew moves further inland to explore.
☄ IN THE JUNGLE YOU MUST WAIT
While some crew remain behind on the beach with the Moira, others are more likely to begin a search for resources, supplies, and other living beings on the island. Eventually, the sand and water give way to a thick, dense jungle with various types of natural flora and rather vivid plant life. What might seem strange, however, is the fact there seems to be no animals to speak of. The jungle, while rather beautiful to look at, remains eerily quiet. Almost too quiet. As you walk, it’s easier to hear your own thoughts, and the further in you move, the easier it is to notice how quickly those bright colors begin to disappear into a thick mist that’s forming around your feet. With each step forward along a surprisingly well-traveled path, the fog continues to grow until it’s impossible to see anything in front of you. Hopefully, you were smart enough to travel with another crewmember because getting lost in this fog can leave you wandering for hours or days. Perhaps even forever. Take hold of the person with you and continue pushing forward on the path. Or turn back. Ultimately, either choice will lead to a safer place than stepping off and getting lost in the mist.
☄ THE FLOWER RIPENS WITHIN ITS PLACE Clearing the jungle and the fog that has thickened with every forward step appeared to be a never ending task, but the sheer beauty of the massive stone buildings carved into the mountainside that looms up above are breathtaking once you reach the opposite side of the mist, light reflecting off marblesque pillars and a stained glass dome. Up the steps leads crew members to a flat and open courtyard where the hosts - averaging between five and six feet tall and green with bright colors - of this world offer food and shelter in exchange for one thing: step into one of the small changing rooms and bathe and dress in the finest that they have to offer. Clothing and jewelry are offered after you are bathed in scented water, and then, you are led back into the courtyard to wait for everyone else to be ready. All crew members are shone equal attention. Robots are buffed until they gleam, AI’s are offered temporary forms or any manner of upgrade they’d like, and any immediate need will be met without hesitation.
☄ WHEN STARTED, WHERE DOES IT MORALLY END Once everyone is clean and dressed in fresh clothes provided by the natives, it’s time for the real festivities to start. The hosts are more than generous as they lay out an elaborate feast of local foods that are much too tempting to say no to. Drinks are served liberally, and no cup remains empty for long. (You might even wonder if the cup magically refills itself as there is no bottom to be seen.) There is something to suit every taste, and a request need only be made once before one of the natives goes off to fulfill it. As the feast continues, you will begin to hear music. The natives live to celebrate and encourage their visitors to do the same. Their worries can be forgotten for the night in favor of losing themselves to simpler pleasures. Indulgences do not stop at food, drink and dancing either. Cards and dice sets are brought out for those who wish to test their luck, and there are several natives who would happily engage in physical competition with the crew to see who might come out on top. And for those with something else on their minds… there is space set aside for anyone who wishes to have a bit of private time with another. Still, what’s stranger than all of this generosity for nothing is the compulsion to participate in these activities.
There is literally no limit, and while moments of hesitation or questions are normal, it’s near impossible to deny those wants. Indulge, and let all of your worries melt away. Hours become days becomes nights, and those nights never end.
☄ NOW STRING THEM TOGETHER AND ANSWER ME THIS Throughout the entire building, there is only one room that has a guard set before it. Anyone who approaches is given the same riddle to answer as follows: It's always there, just beyond your reach. Stuck between lands and skies and seas. It sets. You may go towards it, yet distant it will forever rest. There is no punishment for failing to answer except that the door remains shut. For those who answer correctly, the guard stands aside as the door slides open. The room behind it is transcendent, and most beautiful of all is the pool that rests in the center. The waters seem to have their own faint glow that casts a soft light on the ornately carved walls of the chamber. Any who choose to enter its waters will find that any issues they are struggling with are no longer so troublesome. The mind finds clarity, and problems that appeared insurmountable before now feel like they can be easily conquered.
(This prompt comes with some rules. Please read the OOC event plotting post before doing anything with it.)
( ooc; For questions, go here. Please comment to activity check to receive new ranks (if applicable)! )
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hownkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-09-02 09:31 pm
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[ Bucky says quietly, the heat of the moment makes him loose-tongued and reckless, indulgent -- this is where he can say what he's always wanted to say, with more honesty than he can remember having. He wants to do this; he doesn't serve a soul when he hides what he really wants to say, and Steve's words warm him the way nothing else ever did since he first went into the ice, watching as the glass cobwebbed with frost and white nothingness.
Steve makes him come alive again, makes him feel human and everything that comes with it. He's the chink in his armor, the one weakness that Bucky holds close to his heart. But he's also the source of his strength, this man who he's loved long before he knew what love was. He swallows hard and thinks of all the time they've lost, how their love has spanned a century, almost; how they had lost each other and come back here again.
He's the one man that Bucky would trade anything in for, the light in the darkness, and one of the most powerful reasons why he gets up and out of that bed every morning. Steve is stronger than his own guilt, and he can't help feeling his breath catch when the blond, his best friend, his best guy, looks at him like he's the most important person in the world. They're two halves of a whole, and he feels a weight off him when Steve makes that sound, when he makes him a promise that they can start here, right now, and see how it turns out for them.
Won't that be something?
Then he calls him his best guy and Bucky presses a soft kiss to the pad of his thumb, something tender, something rare, and if that isn't Bucky's explicit approval he doesn't know what else will be. They can start over, and maybe, just maybe, Bucky can believe in that. He wants to be close to Steve, even if he knows he's not worthy of any of it; he's done too many terrible things to deserve the happiness that he knows now lies in Steve Rogers. The people he killed didn't have a happy ending, so why should he?
But tonight, those thoughts, the tattered, sharp edges of himself dissipate like smoke in the summer rain, and in its absence there comes a semblance of hope. Maybe, just maybe. He wants to see where this goes, and Bucky shifts and moves when Steve does because it's what they do, (it's what they do, Steve moves, and Bucky moves with him), and he seals his lips over Steve's own like a promise.
A second, three, then, he murmurs, soft against his lips: ]
Your best guy, huh?
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